New 125 Gallon, need some help!!!

[Street Fish]

Hello everyone -

I am taking my first step into SW and would like some suggestions.

I am purchasing a TruVu 125 Long with two corner overflows and I have the following questions:

1) Should I go black back or clear? I want to keep panther groupers and maybe bamboo sharks? I know they will outgrow the tank and plan to upgrade when the time comes

2) As for a wet/dry, I was recommended a Proclear 200, any thoughts or other recommendations (other than DIY)?

3) Heater - I would like to know what you guys prefer? I hear titanium is best for SW? Is this true?

4) Lighting - I would like to hear what lighting is best, especially the kind that has leg mounts and moon lights

I will have no coral, just liverock, but would like to purchase a light which is not too expensive, which could handle coral in the future...

Thank you everyone, I really appreciate the help

 

[returnofsid]

Welcome to Reef Frontiers!!

To start with, I wouldn't at all recommend either of your fish choices, for this tank, even with planning to upgrade in the future. It's not just about the size of the fish vs. the size of the tank. Both of these fish need LOTS of room to swim. Your tank will not provide that for them.

1. Black back, unless you plan to paint the back, or use a cheezy background picture.

2. If you ever plan to upgrade to corals, forget the wet/dry. They quickly become nitrate producers.

3. Titanium heaters are much better than glass, as they can't be cracked or boken, which can lead to the death of all your inhabitants and even you.

4. Your lighting needs will totally depend on what types of life you plan to have in the tank. Some common choices are Power Compact Fluorescents (PC Lighting), VHO, T5HO and Metal Halides. PC and VHO lighting will allow you to keep most any soft corals and many LPS corals. T5HO and MH lighting will allow you to keep just about anything you'd ever want to keep.

 

[Street Fish]

Thank you very much!

As for the inhabitants, I am still considering whether I will go with this stock. I understand they will quickly outgrow the tank, so I will be reconsidering once I get the tank up and cycled.

As for lighting, I think I will be going with a T5... thank you for the recommendation.

As for the wet/dry, what else would I use for filtration if this is going to be initially a live rock and fish tank?
Do you guys have a preferred titanium heater?

 

[returnofsid]

Plenty of quality live rock and good flow, along with a protein skimmer, will give you all the filtration you need.

 

[Street Fish]

For a protein skimmer, would I even need overflows at that point?

 

[returnofsid]

That would depend on if you want a sump/refugium or not. Without overflows, you'll not be able to incorporate a sump/refugium, below the tank. Then you'll need a HOB skimmer and heaters and other equipment will need to be in the display tank.

 

[FreakinReefin]

For a protein skimmer, would I even need overflows at that point?

Well really that depends on how much skimming you are going to do. Skimmers are crucial to the health of the tank and with large stock fish, like you have planned, they are going to poo a lot. Most singular skimmers are best if placed in a sump so you would need the overflow to get the water to the sump. I actually use a Coralife 220 skimmer that hangs on the back of my tank but is a sump skimmer as well; however my tank has very thick acrylic walls and it can support this skimmer. CPR makes great backpack skimmers IMHO. Maybe two of those on your tank would be sufficient...especially if it's just fish and LR.

 

[Chichas01]

Ditto what Sid said on the livestock choice.

 

[Street Fish]

Thank you everyone, this is great. I can't wait to put up some pics, but the tank will initially be inhabited by EBJDs and a few Frontosas.

Once I can save up enough for a nice skimmer, then I will convert to SW.

So from what you guys have recommonded, I am going to get:

Sump (for the skimmer in the future)
Titanium Heater
T5 Lighting

Skimmer will be a future purchase.

Can someone give me some brands that you guys recommend.

 

[returnofsid]

Those Jack Demspeys will probably shred the Frontosas in very quick fashion. Also, keep in mind that the Dempseys are SA Cichlids, while the Frontosas are from Lake Tanganyika, in Africa. They require vastly different water parameters. Housing them together, will stress one or the other, depending on which water parameter you choose to meet.

 

[Street Fish]

Thank you for your input Sid.

I have kept the EBs and the Fronts together for over 6 mos now (currently in a 36 gal bowfront). I have grown them since 1" to about 3.5", and surprisingly, there is little to no agression.

The EBs are not aggressive at all, if anything, my dominant front beats up on the EBs (which are larger).

The EBs are must less aggressive than their regular JDs (which I have had before).

Thank you for the concern tho, good point.

 

[Street Fish]

Any other thoughts?

 

[Skimmy]

in salt water aquariums, LESS IS MORE!!!
I.E. for a 125g I would have only a few small, highly colorful fish that dont require alot of specialty foods or extra feedings.

If you really want a SW tank that is for fish, I would reccomend having a 6' tank and have it be at least 180-240g

so I think your better off focusing on something simpler for your first SW system, like a minimally stocked soft coral reef.
having a pound per gallon of live rock will provide biological filtration, but you will still require a sump to house a decent skimmer, a refugium, and a carbon/media reactor, as well as your heater.

use an eheim return pump, for that size a 1260 is perfect.

for flow for the main display I would suggest tunze/koralia/coralvue wide outlet low watt pumps. probably 20X the total display gallons is a good place to start for soft corals. you can buy 2 powerheads that will provide all of this.

for a skimmer for 125g. I wolud look at
http://saltwaterconnection.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=3
http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/c...Cones/c22_71/p271/MSX-MiniS/product_info.html

for lights i would do t5's, as you can see there is a considerable price difference, and you do get what you pay for, but even the cheap one's arent too bad... even if you might have to replace a ballast down the road. which ever fixture you get, I would suggest geisemann brand bulbs.
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...uct_Code=CU-USA01122&Category_Code=Current-T5

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...ROD&Product_Code=ATI-2023&Category_Code=ATIt5

http://shop.aquatraders.com/Odyssea-48in-4x54W-T5-HO-Light-Fixture-Pro-Series-p/52211.htm